Cottonrchopper



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. B S. ALLEN. Cotton Chopper.

No. 234,219. Patented Nov. 9,1880.

WWW/YEW W JM N PErERs. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D c.

(No Model.) 2Sheets-Sheet 2. B. S. ALLEN. Cotton Chopper.

No. 234,219. Patented Nov. 9, 1880.

UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

BERRYMAN S. ALLEN, OF HURRICANE SWITCH STATION, ASSIGNOB T0 JOHN T.ALLEN, OF PULASKI, TENNESSEE.

COTTON. -.CH.OPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,219, dated November9, 1880.

Application filed J nne 15, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERRYMAN S. ALLEN, of Hurricane Switch Station, inthe county of Maury and State of Tennessee, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Gotton-Choppers; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification, in which Figure 1 represents a longitudinal sectionalview of the machine arranged as a planter. Fig. 2 is a similar view ofthe machine arranged as a chopper and cultivator. Fig. 3 is a plan viewof Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line as as,Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detailed view of the drill; Fig. 6, a detached viewof the seed-dropper, and Fig. 7 a detail view of the coverer.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures denote the sameparts.

This invention relates to that class of machines employed in thecultivation of cotton which combine planting, plowing, and chopping; andit consists, first, in certain improvements in the main frame; and,secondly, in certain improvements in the chopping devices, all which Iwill now proceed to describe.

In the drawings, A represents the main frame of the machine, consistingof two long parallel inner timbers, a a, and two short outer timbers, aa, the long timbers being united at their forward ends by a cross-bolt,D which also serves to secure the draft-pole 1?. Permanently secured tothis main frame are three sets of standards, a a a a a a and a a. Thestandards a a and a a are provided with a series of transverse holes orperforations, 0 0, and to them are attached the guiding-handles O G bymeans of a bolt, 0, passin g through said holes. By changing the boltsto different holes in the series the handles may be adjusted higher orlower, as desired.

B is a secondary frame, consisting of longitudinal parallel timbers b bb b and a crosstimber, b. The timbers b are slotted or mortised at theirforward ends to admit of their being fitted over the standards, a of themain frame, and transverse bolts 1) are employed to secure them to saidstandards. The timbers b are further provided with shoulders or tenonson their rear ends, which enter corresponding mortises in thecross-timber b. A stout rod or bolt, D, passes through one or the otherof the series of transverse holes in the standards a and serves as meansfor holding the frame A in any desired relation to the secondary frame,as will be presently explained. The secondary frame B forms the bearingfor a revolving shaft, E, to which the seed-dropping arms or stirrers care connected when the machine is used as a planter, as shown in Fig. 1,or constitutes the bearings for a similar revolving shaft, E, when themachine is used as a chopper and cultivator, as shown in Fig. 2.

F are the transporting or driving Wheels, adapted to be secured to theends of either the shaft E or the shaft E, according as the one or theother is used, so as to rotate the shaft when the machine is movedforward.

The construction of the secondary frame is such that it can be readilytaken apart to admit of the application of either the shaft E or shaftE.

G is the harrow, consisting of two diagonal timbers, g g, mortised intothe longitudinal timbers a a of the main frame with their mitered endsabutted together, as shown in Fig. 3, and provided with teeth 9 gincreasing in length from the central teeth outward.

The teeth 9 not only pass through the timbers g 9 but also through thetimbers a a, and serve as means for firmly connecting the partstogether.

The upper ends of the teeth are screwthreaded and provided with nuts 9Metal bearing-plates g may be interposed between the nuts and the topface of the timbers 9 if deemed necessary or desirable.

When the machine is arranged for planting the shaft E, with the hopper Hmounted thereon, is applied to the secondary frame B, and the wheelssecured to the end of the shaft, as shown in Fig. 1. The shaft isprovided with seed-dropping arms or stirrers 6 within the hopper, asbefore described.

Behind the harrow and in front of the hopper a drill-tooth, I, isarranged. This tooth has a downwardly-curved point, and is welded orotherwise connected to a shank, i, that passes up through a block, I, asshown. A heel-projection, i, is provided at the rear of the tooth, forthe purpose of widening and clearing the furrow made by the point of thetooth and to better prepare such furrow for the reception of the seed.

The heel may be made a part of the tooth itself; but is preferablysecured to a shank, i which passes up through a perforation in the rearpart of the tooth, and also through the block I.

The shanks of both tooth and heel are capable of adjustment up and downin the block I, for the purpose of causing a furrow more or less deep tobe made.

The block I is made to fit in between the long parallel timbers a a ofthe main frame, and is held by means of a cross-bolt, J, passed throughsaid timbers and through its forward end. A metal strap, 2', passes overantl is secured to the top and sides of the block, and projectslaterally under the timbers a a, to limit the upward movement of therear end of the block and assist in holding the drill to its work.

The timbers a a at their rear extremities are provided with extensions KK, connected by bolts k k, and adapted to be swung laterally toward andfrom each other, as shown in Fig. 3. These extensions are slottedvertically near their outer ends for the reception of the stand ards I lof a coverer, L, and their proper relation is preserved by means of aplate, M, having segmental slots m m, and bolts m. and clamping-nuts mIn the operation of the machine thus organized the teeth of the doubleharrow run on both sides of the ridge and pulverize and properly preparethe ground. The drill then opens the furrow forthe reception ofthe seeddropped from the hopper by the rotation of the stirrers therein, afterwhich the coverer operates to cover the open furrow and complete theplant mg.

When it becomes necessary to work the cotton the first time after itcomes up the wheels of the machine are taken off and the shaft E andhopper removed from the secondary frame, and the shaft E, carrying thetrundle-head E substituted in their stead. The block I, carrying thedrilltooth, is then removed, and in its place is secured a standard, N,by means of the same cross-bolt J. This standard N forms the fulcrum andsupport of a lever, 0, which is connected at its forward end to avertically-moving frame, I, and receives motion from the trundle-head E,at its rear end.

The frame P is made in two parts, p p, and is rendered adjustable bymeans of slots p in its upper part and projections p on the lower partentering said slots, and is held in adjusted position by clamping-screwsand bolts 1). The lower part, 1), slides in vertical grooves or ways onthe'inner faces of the timbers a a,

and carries at its lower end a cutting knife or blade, R. In thedownward stroke of the frame the lower end of the part comes in contactwith the top of the timbers a a, and thus limits the movement of theframe. By adjusting the parts of the frame on each other it is evidentthat the depth to which the knife enters the ground can be regulated atpleasure.

The trundle-head consists of two plates, E rigidly secured to acontinuous shaft, or, as shown, to the proximate ends of a dividedshaft, and united by means of cross-bars e and nuts 0 The ends of thecross-bars are screw-threaded, and pass through radial slots 0 intheplates, as shown. These cross-bars are adapted to engage with therear end, 0, of the rock-lever 0, which operates the choppingknifeframe, and by adjusting them in or out in the slots they can be made toengage more or less frequently with the lever, and thus regulate thelength of time the knife is depressed and kept in active cuttingoperation. The pivot of the lever O is adapted to be adjusted up or downthe standard to correspond to the adjustment of the cross-bars in thetrundle-head.

As a further change of organization, the covcrer L is removed andcultivators T substituted in its stead. Thus arranged the machineoperates to chop out the cotton at regular intervals and to plow bothsides of each row at once.

The cultivator-plows can be adjusted nearer to or farther from the rowsby changing the position of the adjustable extensions, and they can alsobe made to enter more or less deeply into the earth by changing theposition of the cross-bolt D, which controls the adjustment of the mainframe.

From the foregoing it will be seen that by my invention I am enabled toaccomplish both the planting and subsequent cultivation of cotton by asingle machine and a few simple attachments.

Although I have described herein the construction and operation of allthe parts of the machine,

I only claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1.In a cotton-stalk chopper, the combination of the secondary frame,supported by the shaft and wheels, as set forth, the main frame, hung tothe secondary frame at b, the adjusting-standards a, and the cross-boltD, substantially as described.

2. In a cotton-stalk chopper, the combination, with the main frame A,having the standards a a, of the secondary frame consisting of thelongitudinal timbers I) b and cross-timber b, and adapted to receive andaccommodate the trundle-head shaft, substantially as described.

3. In a cotton-stalk chopper, the trundlehead consisting of the twoplates provided with radial slots, and having the adjustable cross-bars,substantially as described.

4. In a cotton-stalk chopper, the combinaing the adjustable pivot,substantially as detion of the knife-frame, the rock-lever, and thetrundle-head havin the radially-adjustable 1 cross-bars, substant ih llyas described;

5. In a cotton-stalk chopper, the combination of the trundle-headhaving" the radiallyadjustable cross-bars, and the rock-leverhavscribed.

B. S. ALLEN. Witnesses:

J NO. T. ALLEN, A. L. THOMAS, E. H. CASKEY.

